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TO ALL WHOM IT MAY CONCERNE Be it known that I, CHARLES P. GonELL'of Boston, in the State of Massachusetts, have'inventeda new and useful Improvement in Letter-Boxes; and I do hereby declare the following to be afull and correct description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a perspective view of part of -a door-jamb, with my improved letter-box attached, part of the jamb being cut away to show the internal arrangement of the parts. s

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the bent l'ever E, and of the parts connected therewith.

The same part is marked by the same letter in both figures This invention consists in an improved construction and arrangement of the vslot and cover of a letter-box: intended for use in the jamb of the, door of a building, by which the raising of the lid gives an alarrn' to tbe inmates of the house, and the lid, when raised, remains at any angle at which it may be placedtill voluntarily closed, all as hereinafter more particularly set forth. r

To enable others to use my invention, I will proceed to describe its construction and operation. referring to the drawings, on which- A marks the framing of an ordinary door-jamb, in which is cut a vertical slot or opening, ,of the usual andproper size for the reception of letters, papers, and ordinary mail-matter. This slot is surrounded by ametallic' frame, C, attached to thejambl by screws, or in any suitable manner. A lid, B, hallowed on theunder side, is made to cover the slot, fitting snugly on a flange, (l, projecting from frame C. The lid B is attached to frame C by a. hinge, a, at top, and is-raised by means ofa handle, b, at its lower end'. Tivo semicircular steel springs, D D', areattached to the lid B in the position shown.I They react'laterally, pressing outwards against the sides of the frame C with force suiiicient to hold the lid at any point at which it may be placed. One of these springs, D, has a curved slot in it, which plays on a headed pin inserted in the side of4 frame C, the object being to limit the upward movement of lid B. The other spring, D, is without a slot, and has an inclined catch or dog, e, upon its end, which in certain positions engages with the lower arm of the bent lever E. It slips past and behind the lever as the lid is closed, and catches upon and depresses it as the lid is opened.` E is a bent lever of the form represented. It is connected by a wire, w, and `any number of ordinary bell-cranks, F G, and wires, with a bell fixed in any convenient position. The spring S counteracts the pull of the bell-wire in the usual way. A trough, T, conducts the letters, ic., that are inserted in the slot, into any convenient receptacle.

The operation is as follows When the lid B is closed, the catch e liesA behind the lower arm of the lever E, which is then in the position shown in lig. 2. As the lid is raised, the catch e presses the'lower arm of lever E forward, and draws back its upper arm, so as to pull the bell-wire and ring the bell. d At a certain point inthe elevation of the lid, the catch c releases the lower arm of E, which by the action of spring S is thrown back to its initial position. The springs D D react laterally and outwards, so that the lidB is held withsuicient iirmness in any position when open. It is prevented from opening too far by the pin on which\the slot in spring D plays. Only one hand is required to raise the lid, introduce the mail-matter, and close the lid again.

It will be observed that this construction and arrangement is attended with several advantages. No change in the ordinary'mode of making the door-jamb or hanging the door-bell is required, as vthe slot can be out in any common jamb, and the attachment of the wire can be made to the same bell-crank that controls the doorbell. Wind, rain, and dust are eii'ectually excluded, while the deposit oi' mail-matter is safe and expeditious. Theparts are simple, accessible, and little liable to derangement, and the box ca'not be tampered with without immediate notice being given to the inmates of the house. i

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is- 1. The combination' of the lid B and springs D D', in the manner and for the purpose described. 2. The combination of the lid B, springs D D, catch e, and lever E, in the manner und for the purpose uspecied.

.The above specification of my said invention signed and witnessed at Boston, this twenty-second day of July, A. D. 1867.

eHAs. P. GoRELY.

Witnesses:

WILLIAM C. CLEVELAND, CHAs. F. SrANsBUnv. 

